In Praise Of Soft Palate/Uvula Sucking

Last year I read that the pineal gland in the fetus forms not
from brain tissue but from the soft palette tissue of the growing
mouth. This is very interesting, because it suggests a connection
between the two areas. Thus 'nursing' on the soft palette may give
the pineal a long-distance massage -- or at least a 'message'. Add
to this the theory that the pineal secretes various ecstatic compounds, and you get the picture.

It seems that clarity/awareness after meditation continues if I
simply nurse on my uvula/soft palette. Of course if I talk, I
lose it momentarily (smile). As I mentioned here before, when I
grow up, I want to look just like Hakuin's self-portrait! – eyes
locked in Sambhavi Mudra, sucking on his uvula. Although walking my
dog in this mudra might tend to flatten me on the sidewalk. For
Hakuin's self-portrait here, see www.raysender.com/jpegs/ZenjiHakuin.jpg

You can argue that whatever state experienced while sucking
on the soft palette cannot be Dzogchen's Natural State because it's
'doing' something. But since infants relax into the nursing
reflex, it could be considered 'non-arising' – i.e. not actually
'doing anything.' And it does center my awareness four inches
below my navel (hara), thus putting my out of my mind, which can
then do whatever mind does on its own.

YEE HAW!